Journal Online – PNoy blame game decried

THE assertion of President Benigno Aquino III that former Special Action Force (SAF) chief Gen. Getulio Napeñas is to blame for the death of 44 police commandos tends to muddle the Senate investigation into the Mamasapano encounter last January 25 between SAF troopers and Muslim rebels.

Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. stressed this point when sought for comment on the President’s explanation last Monday why the 44 SAF men died in the hands of Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.

During a meeting with a group of pastors Monday afternoon in Malacañang, the President said: “All the evidence will show – cellphone records, witnesses, et cetera – Napeñas made the decision, and he had so many decisions. It seems there were times he did not decide while there were times his decisions were a failure. But when he left me on Jan. 9, or thereabouts, what is coming out is that he did not have any intention to follow my order to coordinate.”

“How does this fit in with all the rest of the testimonies that we have received in the public hearing and in the executive session? Kaya’t imbes na naging mas maliwanag ang sitwasyon naging mas malabo,” he said.

Marcos is uncertain whether the President’s statement Monday was meant to “preempt” the report of the PNP’s Board of Inquiry (BoI) into the Mamasapano clash. Incidentally, the BoI on Monday had asked for a three-day extension within which to submit its report on the ground that it had to complete reviewing the documents submitted to them concerning the incident.

He said that the delay in the submission of the BoI report on the Mamasapano clash “is another point of discussion.” He added: “Dahil bakit ngayon na-delay ulit yung report ng BoI dahil ipinadala sa Palasyo and now this is the new statement from the Palace and from the President.”